What I am trying to fathom is why is this better than say working in a factory? It's different but not necessarily better or best is it?

Silly Golfpro, we are not talking about being better than them, we are talking about why these people do not like Zara (take the mickey etc) because she is more educated.

lol DanB I spotted that 'babe' you sneaked in :-P

If it is better (to work in a factory) or not depends on your personal opinion about what you want to get out of your work. Some people go for well payed jobs, some just want to get by doing as little as possible, some want a challenge, ... so yes, for each of us there is possibly a "better" in that sense.
Our society also clearly distingishes inbetween "better"/ not so good jobs by paying accordingly (often not fairly).
Also, it depends on your circumstances- if you can afford to take a risk in leaving your job if you have children to take care of.

Yes, we are talking about exactly that.

On a similar subject, I found this amusing:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/3514615.stm

As for people treating you like you're weird I can't say I've really experienced it...everyone seems quite accepting of each other's career choices.

I worked for a year before I started my undergraduate degree and saw people doing the same job day in day out. It scared me a little and motivated me a lot I don't want to end up in that position, hence why I'm undertaking a PhD.

It's quite rewarding (although I know I shouldn't say it), to go back home and see the people who used to treat me like s**t who are now working in their corner shops knowing they'll be there for a long time.

I agree with GolfPro (for once); We are NOT better than the factory worker or anyone else just because we are doing a PhD. However I do find it amusing that some of my friends who spent university looking for a boyfriend or dropped out due to laziness say to my face that I am wasting my life doing a PhD when I could oh so easily get married and make babies. Or get an office job and earn more money. I think that is probably what Zara's post is about. Let's face it. To some extent everyone doing a PhD thinks that it is better than doing factory work. It's just that we should know that it is difference in feeling it but respecting that others don't feel it.

Hi, sorry to have caused such offence - but I can assure you Dan B has hit the nail on the head regarding how I feel - I worked in shops and fruit packing factories to make money during the summer, and it just struck me that the people working in these places are actually quite dissatisfied with their career choice - they do indeed just live for their weekends. I want a job I enjoy, rather than one where I just think about the pay packet at the end of the week.

Also a lot of these people (especially those in the local chicken factory) end up bitching about me being a geek and about how I should get a 'proper job' - little do they know that what I get for my stipend is more than they will ever get paid in their jobs - £190 a week is what they get paid, and that's before tax and insurance..and lets face it, packing bits of cold raw chicken breast into a tray all day cannot be very much fun..worth getting paid a whole lot more methinks!!

Yes who's to say that their job means they are stuck and not happy. Its quite a narrow minded view to have, its a relative thing saying "being stuck and im glad that i got out". Yes stopping where you were brought up in your eyes might not be a good idea, but to other people it may be what they want and they do not see it as a rut. So get over your self importance im better than you attitude. I get annoyed by people like you!!!!

Thanks Zara, your last post gave my a nice thought for the day, a day when I'm going to be staring at a computer screen praying my reactions have worked (crosses fingers)...

Freddy and keehaa - I've worked in these jobs and the vast majority of people I met there DO NOT like their job and think their life is s**t - they're on antidepressants and everything. I'm not being narrow minded - I'm just telling you what I saw and experienced during my six week summer jobs in a packhouse and a corner shop!! I didn't meet a single person working there who was happy with their lives, whereas at the time (and just now) I am very happy with mine and think myself lucky to be in such a position.

In fact, a lot of the people I met doing these jobs were themselves NARROW MINDED - their only priority seemed to be the next episode of I'm a Celeb, and they had really little interest in hearing news about anything other than the tiny community they live in - the outside world did not seem to matter to them, and the biggest priority was saving enough money to get bladdered at the weekend or buy the next packet of cigarettes.

And as for being judgemental - these attitudes are what I actually SAW WHEN I WORKED IN THESE PLACES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!